A long story to tell
by alleenmaarbaas
Summary: !RENEWED! A lot has been going on through the past couple of years and the students are finally getting a well deserved leave. The story is mostly Eren x Annie but involves other pairings (none with Annie or Eren ofcourse) A lot of friendship and jokes. Acedemic centric but expands towards actual battles. Hope you like it Some Jean x Mikasa, Reiner x Christa and Connie x Sasha
1. Here we are

A/N First story, feedback is appreciated. Have fun -Baas

"Braun, Yaeger, Arlelt and Fubar. Cabin 2"

"Awyeah" Armin and Eren yelled in unison.  
"Guess I'm stuck with you guys." Reiner hollered, followed by Berthold  
''It's going to be one hell of a time.""  
They got their bags and wondered out the door.  
This was the 4th time they made switches in the cabin schedule.  
He had been with Armin in the first time and Reiner the 3rd but never with Berthold. He liked the arrangement they were in, they were all nice guys and he didn't want to be stuck with Jean for the coming year.

"Alright who's got top?", Eren asked as he started unpacking his things on the double bed.  
They had arrived at the small cabin a little while earlier but had just been looking around to get a layout of the place. It was fairly small, just a double bed and two bunks. They also had a small table and 5 chairs sitting in the corner of the 5 by 5 cabin. In the roof was a window wich Eren remarked was weird since there was no way to reach it but it was probably to of use for something, right.  
"Hold up there cowboy, why are you taking the double bed? Special interests?"  
Reiner's words had a certain edge to it Eren didn't fully understand. Reiner made a lot of sexual jokes he got that far but as far as he knew he had never even made any advances towards anybody in the trainee camp. Everybody laughed while Eren just looked around wondering who Reiner had meant the joke for. Reiner took him in a brotherly noose choke "Naw it's alright you take it. I want top bunk anyway. "  
Armin had just enough time to jump off the bed before Reiner landed on it full force.  
"Ay that's my shit your crushing there."  
"Oh sorry I didn't notice through all the claim I put on the area"  
Reiner grinned again, Armin just huffed and got his things.

Reiner later made it up to Armin by giving him his dessert. Not that Armin was really mad or anything to begin with, but it was still a nice gesture.  
"I didn't know you swung that way?"  
Berthold says laughing, the guys around him can't help but sniffle to.  
"Ha-ha I'm just making up for the bed thing that's all."  
"Oh so you guys are already that far? Just stay safe."  
Jean chips in high-fiving Berthold and earning a glare from Reiner.  
"Well you're all very interested in my love life, jealous?" He retorted.  
"LAME!" They all chimed in unison.  
Supper was always a bit of a hassle, everybody got along but if it was ever time to fight, supper was that time. So it wasn't unusual to have somebody flying over you head out of nothing, nonetheless you'd always need a cover story. And as such they developed some pretty good ones like: Titans, earthquake, Sasha's farts and the best of all there was a duck, since people are scared of ducks somehow. Of course this was all sarcastic and Shadis didn't buy any of it. But he could never point out who was actually responsible. He tried making is all run laps but that had a negative effect on the next days training so he just let it be.

Eren scanned the room.  
Franz and Hannah were cuddling in the back next to Connie, Marco and Samuel.  
The table to the right contained a couple of girls.  
and lastly all the way in the back near the door, there was Annie.  
She was sitting by herself staring at the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Eren? Are you listening to me?" Mikasa asked albeit a bit offended.  
"Yeah, Yeah of course, something about Hannes right?" He said a little distractedly.  
"Yes, ow you do listen. So as I was saying…."  
And he was gone again.

He didn't really know anything about Annie.  
Except for het martial arts skills and slacking off there wasn't anything he could really say about her.  
She always stuck to her quiet spot in the room.  
Hell Reiner had even suggested putting a table outside specially for her as a joke.  
She spotted him looking and stared at him with her natural bored look.  
It was almost as if she was studying him, but he couldn't tell.  
She looked so lonely, somebody should go sit with her or something.  
Fat chance any of these guys are going to.  
Mikasa didn't like her, Reiner and Berthold avoided her and the rest were just plain scared.  
He should go over, but Mikasa was still talking to him, Damn.  
"Hey Jean, You heard this, Mikasa was just telling me about his… thing, man you gotta hear it."  
"Jeager what are you talking about?" Jean looked at him quizzically but Eren just ignored him and started walking towards Annie. He could still hear Mikasa ramble on as he walked away but Jean was probably fine with it as he liked to listen to Mikasa anyway.

"Yow" He said awkwardly as he set down his platter and took a seat on the opposite side of the table. She just looked at him with the bored look she always wore. "Nice weather right? " His attempt at conversation failing, since it was raining like crazy. Why couldn't he think of anything. "Yeah it sort of is." She agreed. He grinned at her, she hated grins, but his was warm and it almost made her lips twitch up in unison, almost. She kept looking up at him with this glint of warmth in her eyes Eren couldn´t quite wrap his head around. Annie didn´t realize she was starring until Eren´s hand softly touched hers sending a shock of electricity through her body, she quickly jerked back a bit bewildered. Eren did the same looking away from her in awkward silence.


	2. Well that was awkward

"So did you want to ask me something or are you just going to let me be?" Annie asked in a grumpy tone turning back to her normal self and putting up a wall of bored faces. "Uh… Yes, I er.. the thing is… uh… well…" Come on Jeager think, think. Got it! "You said you'd teach me some hand to hand moves remember?" "Oh yeah that's true, free time after 3D training tomorrow, don't be late or I'll kick your ass , not learn it." She threatend "Yeah, sure. Good." Eren sputtered out. He didn't even know what to say at this point, what was wrong with him today? Armin would know, he always does. He didn´t look at her and just walked back to his table not seeing her blush. Wait blush? No, Annie Leonhard doesn't blush she thought to herself.

"Yo, I be back up in here." Eren yell's getting a couple of laughs. "I thought you were having a 'chat' with Annie? So how'd it go?'' Reiner quipped with a wink. "Nothing she's just helping me with some moves for hand-to- hand, That's all nothing more." "Sorry did you just say hand-in-hand?" Reiner plagued. "No, …did I? No, it's just a sparring match to help me het a better grade.""Sure and I'm a wall famous singer duo with Berthold alongside Jean and Marco as back-up dancers and Armin as manager." Reiner said sarcastically. "Yeah leave me out why not" Mikasa said with annoyance. "You can be a groupie" Reiner quipped before realizing what he said. Everybody laughed and the whole thing was forgotten, except for Reiner's minor injury caused due to Mikasa's reaction. On the other hand, Christa suddenly came to Reiner's aid. So he got that going for him which is nice.

Reiner held his head in pain as Christa looked at the damage. "Sit still, you're going to make it worse!" "Alright alright, sheesh it's not that bad." He was amazed at the amount of force this woman put behind her words. "So what happened?" She asked in a now tender and soothing voice. "Mikasa threw me over the table because I said she could be the groupie in our imaginary band." "What's wrong with you!" she said giving him a slap upside the head, he winced as the pain surged through his body. "Oh sorry, sorry, sorry. Just don't call a girl a groupie, girls don't like that" "It was a joke." He said in a high pitched voice. "We'll even jokes can be bad. But Mikasa did overreact a tiny bit." "Tiny bit?" Reiner stated in a monotone voice. "Okay a lot" she caved. "Now let's get you patched up." She stood him up, but the loss of blood caused him to stand up and topple right into Christa now landing on top of her. "Sorry, you oke?" Reiner asked genuinely. "Yeah I'm fine but could you y'know ..sort of" She waved her hands in his direction and Reiner looked at the position the were in, him on top of her left hand on her breast, face close enough to feel her warm breath stroke his cheek . They both blushed and got up heading towards the infirmary in an uncomfortable silence.

The rest had finished supper and was headed to their cabin's. Jean, Connie and Marco joined them in theirs for the night. They had leave after tomorrow anyway so nobody gives a fuck about being broken for a day. "Hey Armin could I talk to you..alone?" "Yeah sure, ey guys were going to stick by this bench for a little bit. You know, stuff." The rest of the guys nodded knowing stuff just meant keep walking nothing all to serious just yet. "So what's the problem?" Armin asked. "Okay you know Annie right? I sort off tried to talk to her because she looked so lonely. There's just one problem, I think she sort of…" "Sort of what…?" "Hates my guts." Eren said looking at his best friend with worry. "So you like her but-"Armin started but was promptly cut off by Eren. "It's not like that, it's just weird and she looks so lonely. I'm just trying to get her some friends." "Alright I believe you, just remember: 'Don't push her, and don't push your luck.' You'll be fine."

"Thanks for helping me." Reiner said looking shyly at the ground. "My pleasure..so I guess I'll see you tomorrow at practice…" "Yeah, yeah well thanks again see you tomorrow." Reiner said as he walked into his cabin. Leaving the awkward situation to be resolved another time.  
"Are you getting married?"  
"Are you living in a fluffy pony castle"  
"Yeah, and all pink stuff"  
And stuffed animals everywhere"  
"And all kinds of weird girly stuff…. Yeah!"  
Reiner was getting kind of sick of sitting in the cabin all night like this. But to be honest it was kind of justified looking at how he behaved normally. "We gonna play some poker or what?" He suddenly hollered through the cabin. It was pretty quiet as they got the cards and sat around. Until Armin suddenly said "You sure Christa's oke with you spending all her fairy tale money on gambling?" And Reiner's face fell as everybody started laughing again.


	3. Wasted

Eren's stomach hurt and his head was pounding. They stayed up a little to late yesterday due to Jean, Marco and Connie sleeping over. It wasn't that they stayed up late really, but the stuff they did got a little out of hand. :  
*Flash back*

They had a couple of beers and made a bet who could eat the most bread, so they snuck into the storage and got 2 whole boxes of bread.  
None of them wanted to lose so they ate as much as they could, drinking it down with a couple of beers again and almost throwing up as it was. After an hour or so of just playing cards and talking about which girls they found the cutest Eren came with the genius idea of racing to the top of the mountain.

Everybody was to drunk to see the harm in it and when Jean protested they all just called him a pussy, even Marco , imagine that.  
They not too silently made their way to their gear and suited up.  
A guard angrily approached them but they just ran before he could get a word in, although he did see Armin and Connie's faces, which was probably bad.. yeah they were fucked but that's something for later.  
The guard only spotted 4 people since the rest was already waiting outside, so they didn't think they'd be that fucked since it was known that they were with 7 people. To clarify again, they were wrong.  
Anyway so they climbed the mountain not too carefully as to which Berthold fell and almost broke his leg with Marco not that far behind. But it was all worth it for the top view.  
A majestic and utterly beautiful view of the lands around them glimmering in the light of the glorious stars.

Connie was first followed by Eren and Reiner.  
They all just sat there for a minute or so until they realized the rest had really fallen behind and looked over the edge were they could see Berthold and Marco lie, crying out in the pain and shock of falling.  
They went back to the cabin to mess around for a bit until they heard the bell ring that signed it was time for morning exercises.  
Reiner was the only one remotely sober by then and lead them to the training field.  
It was dead silent as Shadis walked by except for the group of drunken misfits pucking and laughing in the back. Needless to say they had all chores… for 2 weeks.

Shadis made them train with the rest even tough they were borderline passed out drunk.  
And believe me: Running's no fun when your that wasted.  
Jean tried to hang on to Mikasa who just kicked him in the guts and moved on. Which caused him to drop and puke up al he had left of his bread.  
At this Mikasa took a bit of pity and carried him along with Marco.  
Armin wasn't doing any better having Reiner carry him on his back and tugging Berthold along with him.  
Connie had just disappeared from the face of the earth to later be found on the side of the road when they returned.  
Eren however could not feel better, well that's not fully true..  
*End flashback*

"Run you maggots RUN!" Shadis yelled seemingly directing all his rage towards the washed up cadets.  
Alright come on Yeager you can do this, no need to stop now. You want to be a soldier right? Well act like one. He told himself as he picked up his pace.  
He by chance came to run next to Annie, which was nice.  
Not that he wanted to run next to Annie perse. Just that Annie never fell too far behind, so he knew he was safe from Shadis.  
It was classic Annie, she didn't do anything more than she had to.  
He looked at her and blushed a bit.  
There was really nothing of note for the rest of the trip or day actually.  
Well there was for Reiner and the guys, but Eren didn't know.  
See Reiner had been looking at Annie and Eren because they were running in front of them, and he could see what they could not.

As they were running they would constantly look at each other, but if the other persons head turned to face them they'd just quickly turn their heads to look ahead.  
He couldn't fully tell but one time they did look each other in the eyes they both quickly looked away and he thought he saw the faintest blush creep up, although he wasn't sure it could have just been from running all that time.  
Even Reiner had to admit that running wasn't his strong suit today.  
When he looked back at them they were doing it again, they were just all out staring at each other.. almost like

"They like each other." Reiner stated matter of factly. As he walked next to Berthold and Armin.  
""You're sure?" Armin asked, he knew Eren admired Annie's fighting skills but to like her.  
Eren was Titan-Sexual he hasn't shown interest in girls since.. well ever actually, so he had some trouble believing Reiner's theory.  
"Yeah they look at each other all the time and all of those side glances and blushes and stuff."  
"But we look at each other to, and I don't like you, at least in that way." Berthold said.  
"Yes, but when I look at you it means something, like don't do it and then scowling or politeness when talking to you . They just look at each other for fun, and have I mentioned the blushing?"  
"I see what you're saying but I can't quite picture it. I mean there pretty different, exact opposites If you ask me actually. And I agree with Armin on the whole Titan sexual thing." Jean added.  
"You don't believe it? Look."  
He pointed to Annie she was eating some lunch at the far en of the field, but it was clearly visible that her face was turned towards Eren who was helping Connie to his feet.  
Normally they would have checked it of as just watching because Connie was passed out on the ground and being interested in what was happening.  
But the instant Eren put Connie down and looked around she looked at the ground before her.  
They all stared in awe of the sight before them, Eren liked a someone who wasn't a mindless, flesh-eating titan… this was surreal.  
"Told you" Reiner said triumphantly.

As if out of nowhere they suddenly heard a monstrous scream. Shadis was headed for Eren and Connie who were joined by Armin.  
"You little shit's, I'll have you running and cleaning till the end of time!"  
Shadis' face was steaming by now as he spit his fury out over the young cadets.  
The rest of the 104th joined up in a circle around the guys watching them get yelled at and beaten by Shadis.  
"Who else was with you?!" Shadis spit out 


	4. Almost

"Nobody" Eren said, he wasn't going to snitch out his friends, that's some bullshit right there.  
"You sure?" Shadis said menacingly as he kicked both Armin and Connie in the gut making them fall to the ground.  
"sir, We didn't see anybody else, sir!" Armin coughed up just as determined.  
"Oh well then, has anybody here seen anything? Not? Well I guess we'll have to…" Shadis started his speech.  
"You prick faced Motherf-" Eren couldn't finish mumbling his sentence as Armin punched him lightly in the side.  
"You want to have more trouble than this go ahead but not on my life."  
"I know, but I have that appointment with Annie.. like actually right now."  
"You're thinking about that while were getting tortured by Shadis. You must really love the "Technique's" She's learning you." Armin plagued, even in this situation Eren couldn't get any rest from these people.

Suddenly someone in the crowd screams "I did it."  
It was Reiner but why?  
"It was me not Eren, along with Jean." Jean looks confused for a minute but complies with a nod.  
"So go ahead and punish us we can take it. "  
"Oh you're heroes" Mikasa and Christa chant in unison, they awkwardly shuffle to the back of the group when everybody looks at them as if they were crazy.  
"..Heroes.." Christa mumbles before totally fading from sight.

"You-boys-are-going-to-be-so-fucked-up-your-mother-will-not-even-recog-nize-you-little-shits."  
Shadis screams slapping one of them on each stop.  
Eren just looks at Reiner and mouths "Why"  
"Annie" he mouths back with a grin before he gets slapped again.  
Eren just nods at his friends noble sacrifice and reminds himself to help Reiner and Jean out with their girl problems one day, wait no he didn't like Annie that was just for training nothing more.  
But he owed Reiner and Jean anyway.

"You're late" Annie said in her normal bored tone but her face bore a hint of concern.  
"Sorry, I got held up by Shadis, please don't kill me." He pleaded jogging up to her.  
She looked at the ground for a bit as if mulling over the information he had just given her.  
"I'm not going to kill you." She stated "Now let's train."  
"Don't you need to y'know teach me stuff first."  
"I am teaching you, I just need to be able to see what you got."  
"Oh I got plenty." He said a smile playing on his lips.

The smile lasted an exact of 26 seconds, until Eren's back hit the ground that is.  
"Try Harder!"  
"That's unfair you're way better at this than me."  
"Yes, but you were the one who said "I got plenty" ."  
"It was a joke Annie."  
"Well it wasn't funny now was it." A small smile playing her lips as she saw him wiggle to get out of his unfortunate position.  
"Again."  
And they did.  
Again and again… and again.  
Until finally Eren caved.  
"We've done this an exact of 164 times now, I don't see the point!" He screamed  
"Come on Yeager, you're getting better."  
Somehow that sentence fired him up as he began charging her with a new found determination he had yet to understand.  
She dodged most of his attacks except for a grapple he got through and suddenly they were on the ground.  
He was on top of her trying to pin her in any way he could but when he nearly had her, she did something unexpected.  
She let go.  
Eren looked at her confused for a moment before she threw him over.  
"Unfair!" He panted  
"Never let your guard down, we'll I know I just did but you get it."  
"You want unexpected?" He said an evil smile playing his lips.  
"I'll give you unexpected."  
"Give it your best shot." She said in a soft tone he wasn't used to from her.  
Their bodies were so close he felt her breath on his lips.  
He felt the beating of her heart and smelled the faint scent of berries on her body.  
It was as if he was entranced when he moved.  
He moved upwards and he could see she leaned in.  
Her eyes were heavy lidded.  
His lips grazed hers for a split second.  
"Hey what Jean did was pretty heroi-.. I'll go sorry. Bye" Mikasa was gone just as fast as she appeared.  
"Yeah so I'll see you later." Eren didn't look at her as he hurried to his feet and bolted to his cabin.

"Hey Eren how'd it go?" Marco asked as Eren came in panting.  
"You know, good. It's all good." He said trying to act a tad normal.  
"You sure?" "yeah I'm fine."  
"Armin, Jean, Reiner and Connie back yet?"  
"Naw, they had to run laps till tomorrow's exercises."  
I definitely need to repay Jean and Reiner somehow.

"Heard about the massive thunderstorm that's coming? They say it's going to last 2 days at least. So no Practice.. at least I hope."  
"Maybe so but we do have 1 less vacation day" Berthold added.  
"And we have to stay in our cabins the whole time." Eren said, now settled down from the whole "Training" thing with Annie.

He couldn't stop thinking about it, about her.  
The way her soft hair made a curtain from the world around him, unveiling only the light of the sun that shone through.  
The way her eyes closed.  
The way he felt a surge of electricity run through his veins as he grazed her lip.  
The closeness of their bodies, It was all stuck in his mind.  
Like a child trying to get his Frisbee from a tree: He could see it.  
But he couldn't reach it or get it out.

At supper he sat alone starring at Annie.  
It was kind off stalkerich but he needed some peace and quiet, and looking at Annie gave him that peace.

A/N Next chapter will be them getting together don't worry. 


End file.
